


Quiet

by kaguneko (alittlecoco)



Series: Catdad 'Verses [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Light Angst, M/M, catdads, catkids, fluff: both figurative and literal, not abo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 13:46:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11060256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alittlecoco/pseuds/kaguneko
Summary: A rather pointless ficlet about the catdads adopting some squirmy catbabies, to be completely honest.¯\_(ツ)_/¯ What can I say? My heart wants what it wants. And Levi just quietly, but desperately, wants to be a good dad.





	Quiet

**Author's Note:**

> Probably set in the same universe as [Knead](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11000595). I'll probably write more. I dunno guys, I'm just really freaking weak for the catdad 'verse. It's essentially a combination of all the best things.
> 
> What do you call baby cat!kids anyways? Kittens? Babies? Both...? Both is good...

 

Levi noticed it immediately.

  
The first night they had the kittens, he’d curled around them in their large bed, tucked his tail around the heap of squirming babies, and set about cleaning them. He didn’t like the way they smelled, like the foster system—it made his fur bristle and memories buzz like a swarm of bees in the back of his brain. Erwin was in the kitchen pulling together scraps of dinner for Levi because he refused to let their kids out of his sight.

  
“She’s not purring,” Levi said, looking up at Erwin with wide eyes when he entered the bedroom carrying a plate of something that smelled good enough to make Levi’s nose twitch for a moment before his attention snapped back to the kittens pressed to his body. “I’m doing something wrong, Erwin.” Panic settled in his veins like heavy, molten metal; he _knew_ he was going to be fucking shit at having kids. “What am I doing wrong?”

  
The two boys had pressed shyly to his chest once they were settled on the bed. Armin, a tiny blond thing, had immediately made little purrps and chirps against Levi’s neck, allowing Levi to clean his hair and face without a fuss, though the little mop of brown hair, Eren, had only held still after he was too full of warm milk to move, pressing close to Levi with a surprisingly loud purr for a kitten so small.

  
But Mikasa—Mikasa had accepted her bottle and Levi’s fastidious cleaning without so much as a peep. She just watched him with large, liquid eyes until he finished, then lay perfectly still next to her brothers, drifting off to sleep in silence.

  
“Erwin,” Levi said again, curling his tail tighter about their fragile bodies. He could feel his ears flattening unhappily against his hair, but didn't do anything to stop the instinctual reaction. “Why isn’t she purring?” He nosed at the little kitten’s soft hair. Her ears flicked, but otherwise she didn’t react.

 

The warm hand on Levi’s shoulder startled him.

  
“Levi.” Erwin’s voice was as warm as his hand. “It’s fine.”

  
His endless calm made a growl build in Levi’s chest that he had to repress before it frightened the babies nestled in the circle of his body.

  
“It’s not fine,” Levi hissed. “I knew this was a terrible idea.” He wanted to cry—or snarl, he wasn’t sure which. "What the fuck was I thinking?” He snapped his jaws shut, grinding his teeth together. There he was, already swearing in front of his kids. Fighting back panic, he set about cleaning the kittens again; he was _certain_ he could still smell the abandonment and the foster system on their impossibly delicate skin. Responsibility pressed as crushing on his chest as the panic in his veins.

  
“ _Levi_ ,” Erwin rumbled behind him where he'd sat on the bed while Levi fussed. His heavy tail fell across Levi’s waist and Levi was positive Erwin was purring to calm him down. “You need to eat dinner.”

  
Levi had no intention of eating dinner until Mikasa purred.

  
“They’re asleep, Levi.” Erwin brushed his lips against Levi’s head. “Let them sleep, and eat something.” He nosed Levi’s hair. “Please.”

  
Levi managed to choke back the reheated chicken casserole Erwin had brought him, though it made a bid for freedom a couple of times. He swallowed hard against the food in his throat, watching the kittens where they were tucked in a thick nest of blankets, sleeping with full little bellies, swaddled in slightly too-large baby clothes.

  
Erwin purred in earnest now, apparently pleased Levi was eating. He rubbed slow circles against Levi’s back. “You aren’t doing anything wrong.”

  
“Well, clearly I _am_ ,” Levi growled, but his ears drooped miserably, at odds with his snapping tone.

  
“She’s probably anxious. If anything, I’m surprised the other two settled in so quickly.” Erwin took the empty plate from Levi and set it on their bedside table before coming to sit behind his husband, looping his arms about his waist and resting his chin on Levi’s shoulder. Erwin’s purring rumbled loudly enough to reverberate against Levi’s back and he found himself relaxing back against Erwin’s chest despite himself.

  
“There you go,” Erwin murmured when he felt Levi’s body softening, and rubbed his cheek contentedly against Levi’s hair, kneading his hips reflexively. “You’re doing fine. You’re doing _great_ , Levi.”

  
Levi twisted to level a desperate glare up at Erwin. “I don’t know what I’m doing. You have to help me.” He pulled his lips back to expose sharp canines, though his eyes were wide, anxiety making him a mess of biting pleas.

  
Erwin’s brows drew together and his mouth quirked into a fond smile. “Of course I’m going to help you raise _our_ kids, you crazy fucker.” Levi growled and Erwin’s smile pulled tighter, threatening to split into a grin. “You don’t have to carry the whole world, Levi.”

  
“Yes, I do. And don’t swear in front of the kids.”

  
Erwin did grin at that and he dipped to lick Levi’s nose. “You don’t. That’s your OCD talking.”

  
Levi snapped his teeth, then rested his canines against Erwin’s jaw in a gentle warning. “I don’t have OCD or I wouldn’t have married _you_.” He heard his own voice melting into something softer, and licked at the spot he’d bitten on Erwin’s jaw with prickly affection.

 

* * *

 

 

  
It had been Erwin who initially brought up wanting kids, years ago. Before they were married, in fact.

 

They were out to dinner when Erwin noticed Levi watching two parents fawn over their newborn. Levi’s nostrils flared when he smelled the contented baby and his mouth softened into something less like a scowl than his usual expression.

  
Erwin had nudged his ankle under the table with a gentle foot.

  
Levi blinked and glared at him.

  
“Do you like kids, Levi?” He cocked his head, watching Levi’s ears angle to listen to the faint purrs from the baby.

  
“They’re horrible, messy little shits.” Levi looked down at his plate and shoved his meal around with his fork. He never played with his food.

  
“That’s not a no.” Erwin tried not to smile at Levi’s embarrassment over having been caught. He took a casual bite of his food. “I like kids,” he shrugged, watching Levi through his lashes.

  
Levi scoffed. “Yeah. That’s obvious.” The baby let out a little cry and Levi’s ears flattened in response to the pitiful sound.

  
Erwin wasn’t sure how his next statement was going to go over, but he was curious enough about Levi’s reaction that he took the gamble. “I might want some. Someday, that is.”

  
Levi’s cheeks turned the faintest shade of pink, hardly noticeable in the dark of the restaurant. Erwin wouldn’t have know he was blushing if he hadn’t spent the last two years staring at Levi’s face.

 

“Good luck with that,” Levi grumbled and crammed a large bite of food into his mouth. He didn’t look at the baby again during their meal.

 

 

But it was Levi who saw the three kittens at the foster home four years later and told Erwin he wasn’t leaving without them.

  
They’d been thinking of adopting for a year, and Levi had obsessively read through every book about child-rearing that he could get his hands on, tail flicking frantically as he glared at the pages.

 

“Erwin, I’ll be a shit dad,” he’d grumbled over and over. “You know what my childhood was like.”

  
And Erwin had kissed at his frown over and over, licking Levi’s lips until he sputtered and hid a hint of a grin. “That’s exactly why I think you’ll be a great dad.”

 

Levi remained anxiously interested in parenthood until the afternoon they went to meet Eren at his foster home. He was on a blanket with two other babies, all their limbs tangled awkwardly, and his tiny fists were clutched tight at the shirts of both his companions.

  
“All three, Erwin. We’re adopting all three, or none. And I refuse to let anyone else adopt them,” Levi hissed so the social worker wouldn’t overhear.

  
Erwin had never seen Levi react so vehemently to anything before. Usually he was cool and aloof, vibrating any anxiety in subtle waves against Erwin’s side rather than this outright snarling. His ears lay flat to his head and his tail twitched in little jerks. Erwin blinked, surprised, and his chest was elastic with something heavy and warm.

  
“Okay,” he said.

  
It was Levi’s turn to blink. “Okay?” His tail drooped and his ears perked.

  
Erwin smiled. “Yeah, okay. All three.”

  
Levi narrowed his eyes.

  
“I’m serious. I always wanted more than one kid.”

  
“It’ll be hard.” But Levi’s tail was beginning to sway like it did when he was pleased. “A lot harder than one.”

  
Erwin bent to press his nose to the downy fur at the base of one of Levi’s ears. “I know. I think they’re worth it, though.” He thought the happy, _soft_ scent Levi was giving off was worth it, as well.

  
A purr burst out of Levi’s throat before he could repress it, and then he pushed Erwin away with gentle hands to his chest, face arranged in a scowl too schooled to be very genuine.

  
Levi wasn’t pleased to leave without the kittens that day, but he hid it well, somewhat mollified by the plans they made with the social worker.

 

Erwin didn’t think he’d ever been so aroused as he was that night, watching Levi purring in rapid bursts on top of their covers, pouring through his books on parenthood for at least the fourth time since they’d bought them.

  
He pulled the books out of Levi’s hands and scattered them to the floor. Rather than protesting, like Erwin had expected, Levi rolled onto his back and flattened his ears, purring impossibly louder as he let Erwin settle between his legs, his limbs pliant and welcoming. He met Erwin’s thrusts with soft mewls and nipped his neck, licked at Erwin’s throat to encourage low moans and shuddering sighs.

 

The panic came later, during that first night when the kittens were nestled between them on the bed, and Mikasa still hadn’t made a single sound. Not even when Erwin had nosed her awake for a bottle and a diaper change. Levi thought the chicken casserole was going to come crawling up out of his belly.

 

* * *

 

 

Mikasa still hadn’t purred three weeks later when Levi and Erwin took the babies for a check-up.

  
Levi held her while the pediatrician poked and prodded her tiny body. She watched the doctor with the same liquid eyes she leveled at Levi when he cleaned her and silently begged her to purr.

  
The pediatrician smiled kindly when she’d finished, and looked first at Erwin who had his arms full of the squirming boys, and then at Levi who was desperately repressing the urge to groom the babies in public.

  
“They’re perfectly healthy,” she said, tail swishing happily. “You two are doing a great job.”

  
“What?” Levi blurted.

  
The pediatrician frowned at him. “Your babies are healthy,” she repeated, confused.

  
Erwin’s tail brushed Levi’s. “That’s great,” Erwin said.

  
Levi shook his head. “What’s wrong with Mikasa?” he said.

  
“N-nothing. Like I said, she’s perfectly healthy.” The pediatricians brows pulled together. She looked to Erwin for guidance, unsure of what Levi was getting at.

  
“She doesn’t purr,” Levi said, ignoring the way Erwin moved to press comforting heat to his side.

  
The pediatrician’s frown cleared. “Oh. I see.” She nodded. “That’s fine. Lots of adopted babies have trouble settling in. I’m sure she’ll purr when she’s comfortable.”

  
Levi’s heart sank. The pediatrician smiled and offered her business card, completely unaware that she’d said the exact thing Levi feared.

  
  
“Levi,” Erwin said gently when they arrived home from the appointment.

  
“Don’t,” Levi snapped, gritting his teeth. He couldn’t stand to hear Erwin tell him what a _good job_ he was doing. Clearly, he fucking _wasn’t_. He took the carrier to their room, itching to groom the kittens and get the sterile scent of the doctor’s office off their little bodies.

  
Erwin pressed up behind him, body radiating heat. “I was going to say we need groceries,” he murmured. “Do you want me to go, or would you rather go?”

  
Levi couldn’t look at Erwin, all sturdy and warm and so _good_. He was such a good man, it made Levi dizzy sometimes. “You go,” he sighed.

  
Erwin stayed with his arms wrapped around Levi’s waist for several long moments, wuffing little inhales of Levi’s scent where it was strong at the base of his ears. “Will you be okay? I’ll be quick.”

  
“I’m fine,” Levi said, pulling free to join the kittens on the bed. All he could smell was the doctor’s office and he hated it.

  
Levi still couldn’t look at Erwin when he left the bedroom with a quiet, “I love you.”

 

* * *

 

 

  
The scent hit Erwin like a wall shattering his nose when he returned from the grocery store an hour later. He’d rushed, forgetting sauce for the pasta he’d planned to make and toothpaste and probably something else essential, but his stomach rolled with anxiety the entire time he was away from Levi and the kittens.

  
Erwin dropped the groceries in the entryway, praying the eggs didn’t shatter. “Levi!” he shouted, tearing through to the bedroom. The house reeked of pain and fear; he’d never smelled anything so metallic and terrifying on Levi before.

  
“ _Levi_ ,” Erwin said, his name ripping out of his chest when he found Levi on the bed where he’d left him. Except the scene he looked at now broke his heart.

  
Levi curled around the kittens, purring frantically, mewls hitching out of his throat, hoarse like he’d been whining the entire time Erwin was gone. The kittens were flushed pink where he’d licked them compulsively, their hair sticking up in wild little cowlicks. Levi rubbed his cheek against the bed, hard, eyes screwed shut, like he needed an outlet desperately. His tail thumped, but he'd placed himself as carefully around the babies as if they were made of glass.

  
Erwin knelt by the bed, collapsing and bruising his knees. “Levi. Levi. _Levi_ , what’s wrong?” He quickly checked the kittens. They were fine, if a bit tense from the scent Levi was giving off. Armin whimpered and butted his head against Erwin as he bent to sniff at them. Some of the tightness in Erwin’s chest loosened; their kids were okay, their babies were okay.

  
Levi thumped his tail again and rubbed his cheek hard against the covers, rough enough that Erwin thought the side of his face must have blossomed red with irritation. “What am I doing _wrong?_ Why isn’t she happy?” A whine crawled up out of his throat and he opened his eyes to offer Erwin a look he never thought he’d see on Levi’s face. It sharp with pain, utterly lost. 

  
“Oh, Levi.” He realized Levi been purring and mewling in hopes of getting a reaction out of the silent kitten. His heart broke all over again. Erwin shouldn’t have left him; they should’ve ordered take out. Who gave a _fuck_ about toothpaste? He heaved himself off the floor, knees aching, and laid down quietly behind Levi on the bed. Gently, he pulled Levi away from the kittens, coaxing with kneading hands, and Levi let him, laying on his back with his eyes shut, exhausted. Erwin leaned up over him and nuzzled his face, heart twisting when he found it damp. “Oh, Levi. It’s not your fault.” He brushed Levi’s hair back from his forehead and kissed at the tear tracks, trying to undo the time he’d left him alone. “I shouldn’t have left. I’m _so_ sorry.”

  
Levi opened his eyes. “Don’t apologize,” he said in a dreadfully quiet voice. “Just tell me what I’m doing wrong.”

  
Erwin should’ve known Levi would love the kittens this hard, with the fierce all-encompassing fire he burned when he devoted himself to rare endeavors. He glanced at the kittens, squirming in a little heap of overlarge ears and pudgy limbs, skin pink from Levi’s attention. The boys' tiny noises were audible now that Levi’s had fallen silent.

  
Erwin tucked Levi to his chest, throwing his tail and a leg over Levi’s body. Levi shuddered out a sticky sigh. “You aren’t doing anything wrong, Levi.”

  
Levi bit his collarbone hard enough to smart. “You keep _saying_ that,” he growled from the circle of Erwin’s arms.

  
“And I’ll _keep_ saying it, you stubborn little fucker.” Erwin rubbed his chin against Levi’s hair, trying to cover the miserable scent he was giving off. “Sometimes kittens don’t know how to meow,” he said. “Mikasa might not have been with her parents long enough to learn.” Erwin licked at Levi’s flattened ears. “And she was probably traumatized losing her parents when she was a newborn—new scents, being passed around. It has literally nothing to do with you. Or _me_.” He took hold of Levi’s shoulders and pushed him back so he could look at his face. “There’s two of us. Don’t take credit for all the bad.” He smiled a faint, aching smile. “I want credit for fucking up our kids, too.”

  
Levi scowled. “You haven’t fucked anything up. You’re perfect, you big shit.”

  
Erwin huffed. “Listen to yourself.”

  
Levi narrowed his eyes. “No.” His mouth twitched a little.

  
“I smashed eggs in the entryway,” Erwin said abruptly, chasing that promise of a smile.

  
“What the fuck. _Why?_ ” Levi pulled back, upturned nose wrinkling.

  
“Felt like it.” Erwin ducked to mouth at Levi’s neck, snuffling up under his jaw. One of the kittens mewled and they both lifted their heads so quickly they nearly cracked their foreheads together.

  
Levi snorted and Erwin’s heart unwound a little at the sound. “Eren’s hungry,” Levi said, rolling his eyes at the tiny kitten.

  
“Eren’s always hungry.”

  
Levi looked pointedly at Erwin, who still lay half across Levi’s body.

  
“What? I’m tall. I need the energy.” He rested his chin on Levi’s chest and watched the babies snuffle and yawn. They sure were cute little fucks. He had a feeling he was in for it when they were old enough to make demands of him. He hoped Levi had better self-control than he did. Usually, Erwin would say yes, but then he thought of Levi, who hadn’t left their sides since they’d adopted the trio and thought that maybe they were both royally fucked.

  
Levi huffed about as close to a laugh as he ever got. “You’ll both get fat.”

  
“That’s fine. Fat babies are cute.”

  
“What about you?”

  
Erwin rubbed his cheek against Levi’s chest. A faint purr was building there. “I’m already cute.”

  
Levi tugged his hair. “Shut the fuck up.”

  
“Don’t swear in front of our children,” Erwin chided, nipping round about where he thought one of Levi’s nipples might be located. Levi yelped. Bingo.

  
“You bastard,” Levi grumbled, pushing Erwin’s head. Erwin refused to budge. “Would you rather feed the little monsters, or clean the eggs?”

  
Erwin lifted his head, surprised. “But I made the mess.”

  
Levi shrugged a shoulder, lips set in a soft line. Erwin searched his face. He thought, perhaps, Levi was thanking him.

  
“I want to do both. And then I want you to have a bath. With me.”

  
Levi’s lips parted, but just a soft, surprised huff slipped out.

  
“We’ll bring the monitor into the bathroom.” Erwin widened his eyes. “Please.” Levi took a breath, but Erwin cut him off, cocking his head and saying, “You smell horrific.”

  
Levi’s ears flattened and he narrowed his eyes. “What?” His voice was flat.

  
“You smell. _Dreadful_.” Erwin pressed his lips in a firm line against a grin.

  
“Are you trying to seduce me?” Levi’s lidded eyes were only mildly offended.

  
Erwin shook his head. “I know that won’t work. So I’m trying to piss you off so you’ll take a spiteful bath with me and I’ll get make-up sex after. To be completely honest.”

  
Levi’s lips parted again, this time on an amused bark of laugher. “Christ, just go get the bottles.”

  
Erwin decided he won that round and offered Levi a rough kiss, swallowing back a groan at the slick tangle of Levi's tongue with his and the barely audible hitch of Levi's breath. He paused, thinking of all the quiet, reserved ways Levi showed his affection as he slowed to brush their lips together and Levi’s hands kneaded the muscles of his back.

  
“You know, Levi, you just need to love her exactly as she is. That’s all.” He looked at Mikasa’s dark head, at her tiny nose and spray of thick black lashes. “I think we’ll manage that just fine, whether she purrs or not.” He pressed another kiss to Levi’s forehead, trailed his lips down across his eyelids, feather-light. Levi whined quietly and pushed his head up into Erwin's kisses.

  
Erwin brushed his lips to the corner of Levi’s mouth and murmured, “I’ll be back in a minute, don’t move,” before standing to pad out of the room.

  
“You know, _Erwin_ ,” Levi said, voice flat and casual, just as Erwin reached the threshold to the hallway. Erwin paused and turned to look back. Levi had curled back around the kittens, rubbing his chin against them to soothe their hungry fussing. When he noticed Erwin was listening, he lifted his head and said, “Seducing works just fine. I’m not old and limp yet.”

  
Erwin looked at the lithe lines of Levi's body, his sharp grey eyes, and silky black hair. At his sleek tail and downy ears pointed forward to catch Erwin’s response, giving away his interest even as he tried to keep his expression nonchalant. “No, you certainly aren’t,” Erwin agreed.

  
Levi blushed faintly. “They’re going to start crying soon,” he said.

  
Erwin smiled. “Levi,” he said.

  
Levi’s eyes flicked from the kittens back up to Erwin’s face.

  
“Please,” his voice was dipping low in his chest, but he didn’t try to lessen the heaviness of it. “Please, let me give you a bath after.”

  
Levi’s ears drooped and his tail thumped the bed as his cheeks flushed a darker pink. “Fine.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Now I want to write Erwin having a freak-out over parenthood and Levi being the level-headed one. I do love some healthy give-and-take. Hmm...
> 
> By the way! I'm on tumblr @[kaguneko](https://kaguneko.tumblr.com) :)


End file.
